Automatic emergency selective switch



July 5, 1932 c. H. BIISSELL 1,866,007

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SELECTIVE SWITCH Filed June 15, 1928 5 ShOGtS-Sheet1'} My J1 \& m m x "h h L 1 N5 $3 3? Q'l li I: W 6 Q 7 I m L t N I 0 QQLu T t W EX m k '5 s h, Q 2

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS c. H. BISSELL 1,866,007

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SELECTIVE SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 5, 1932 FiledJunel3, 1928 yfljIg/KENITOR.

I W Q 1\ y '9 I ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1932. c. H. BISSELL AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SELECTiVE swn'cn FiledJune 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR.

A TTORNEY5 July 5, 1932. c H. BISSELL AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SELECTIVEswrrcn 5 Silesia-Sheet 4 Filed June 15', 1928 ATTORNEY5,

c. H. BISSELL 1,866,007

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY SELECTIVE swn'cn 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 5, 1932.

Filed June 15, 1928 llllriifurfll 4 q E p 9 o v f g INVENTOR.

By n uMvn/K/QWQZZ,

firm MES Patented July 5, 1932 Lil I STATES CABLVH. VBISSELL, orsmacusnnnw YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro CROUSE-HINIDS COMPANY,

PATENT OFFICE OF SE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK AUTOMATICEMERGENCY srmnc'rivn swrrcn Application filed June 13,

i This invention relatesto signaling systems as traflic signals and hasfor its objectan mined. period of time, as for instance throwing on thestop signal to theexclusion of the other signals and keeping them on forpre highly efiicient in use.

determined periods, which switch is particularly simple and compactinconstruction and The invention consists'in the novel features and in thecombinations and construe had to the accompanying drawings in whichtions hereinafter set'forth and claimed.

In describingthisinvention reference is like characters designatecorresponding parts in all the views. p "Figures land 2 are sideelevations of the J transmitting'means driven by the motor, and i theselective controlling switch, the casing "being; omitted in both'views,one view being selective switch showing respectively, the motor,intermittent switch, clutch and motion a continuation of the other. I

-Figure 3 is a frontelevation or face view of the controlling switch andcontiguous parts. j 1 Figure 4 is an end elevation of a complete switch,part of the case being removed, showing particularly the motor.

1 Figure 5 is an opposite side elevation of the motor and contiguousparts from, that the locking means and the electro-magnet for operatingit.

' Figure'9 is a face view of the other section of the clutch fortripping the locking means,

' the trip also being shown.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the I wiring of the instrument.

, In street traific signals, it is desirable to,

at times, stop'all trafiic for a predetermined period of time to permitthe passage of a fire apparatus or other emergency vehicle 1928. SerialNo. 285,029.

through the section of the city provided with the traffic signals.

o The switch is located at a central station and the operator knows theapproximate time it will take the emergency vehicle to travel from itsstation to a predetermined point as a fire alarm box, and how long itwill be necessary to stop traflic to permit the passage of the vehicle.

This automatic emergency selecting switch provides means for setting-allstop signals to the exclusion of the go and warning signals for apredetermined periodof time as 15, 3.0, or45 seconds before the trafficsignals again take up their normal, operation.

'The switch here shownis designed to set the stop signals for periods oftime which are multiples of fifteen from 15 to 120 seconds. The traflicsignals are usually red lamps for stop, green lamps for go with anintermediate warning amber signal.

The switch here illustrated operates to set all thered signals to theexclusion of the green and amber for periods of time from 15 to 120seconds.

This automatic emergency selective switch comprises-generally anelectric motor connected in a feed circuit, a normally open controllingswitch for controlling the flow of current through the motor and througha signal circuit for different selected periods of time,

"the switch being manually operable to closed position and meansoperated by the motor for automatically controlling the opening of theswitch.

, More specifically, the selective switch includes an electric motoryanormally open switch v for controlling the flow of current through themotorand through the signal circuit comprising a conductor connected inthe signal circuit and having a plurality of contacts spaced apart,-andmovable operating means connected in the feed circuit and operable toselectively engage the contacts,

. locking means, for holding the operating means, means tending toactuate the operatlng means to open the switch, a trip operable .todisengage the operating means from the "contact with which it isengaged, the trip being normally arranged in a predetermined startingposition and having means for returning it to such starting position,motion transmitting means between the motor and the trip whereby whenthe trip disengages the operating means from the contact with which itis engaged and the feed and signal circuits are broken, the trip returnsto its starting position for the next operation.

1 designates the base on which the parts of the switch aremounted.

2 is a detachable housing or cover mounted on the base, the rear wall ofthe housing being removed in Figure 4. i i

3 designates the motor and the motor here shown is a disk inductionmotor.

4 designates the disk which is mounted upon a shaft 5 suitably supportedin uprights or brackets 6, 7 mounted on the base plate. The disk is hereshown having a hub 8 on one side thereof to which the shaft 5 issecuredas by a key or screw 9, the shaft at its other end coacting with anadjustable cone bearing 10 carried by the upright 6.

11 and 12 are the coils of the magnet of the motor, these coils havingcores 13, 14

' here shown as annularin form so that the contacts are arranged incircular series.

17 designates the conductor which is mounted on a block of insulation 18on the base 1.

19 designates the contacts spaced apart and preferably equidistant aparton the conductor. These contacts are shown as pins extending radiallytoward the center of the conductor.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the movable operatingmeans operable to selectively engage the contacts comprises a movableswitch member, one for each contact and as the contacts are a "ranged incircular series, the switch members are arranged in a circular seriesand mounted on and in electrical contact with a circular conductorcommon to all of them. 7

20 is the circular conductor of the operating means, this being mountedupon the base 18 of insulation opposed to and in axial alinement withthe conductor 17 21 designates the movable switch members, these beingslidably mounted in the conductor 20 and projecting through the same andhaving terminals movable into and out of engagement with the contacts19. These members are here shown as rods slidable through bosses or hubs22 formed on the conductor 20,

these rods extending through a face plate 23 at the front of the baseand having operating buttons 24 on the outside of the face plate. Thebuttons 24 slide through holes in the face plate 23. The rods 21 areprovided on their ends between the conductors 17 and 20 with heads 25,which are provided with terminals 26 for engaging the contact pin 19 ofthe conductor 17 Coil springs 27 interposed between the buttons 24 andthe bosses 22, return the switch members 21 to their normal positionassumed when the switch is open. The rods 21 are held from turning bypins 28 extending through the bosses 22 and in the slots 29 in the rods.

The locking means for holding the operating means or the rods 21 intheir operated position comprises a'latch .30 pivoted at 31 to the headof each member 21v and movable into interlocking engagement with thecompanion contact or pin 19, this latch carrying the :terminal 26. Thelatch is normally pressed by a spring 32, see Figure 6. Each head 25 isbifurcated and the latch and spring 32 located betweenithe bifurcationsthereof. a

The buttons 24 are provided with suitable time indications as 15, 30,etc. Obviously, when any one of the buttons'24 is depressed, theterminal 26 thereof will engage the companion contact 19 and as the rods21 are inv the axis of the conductor 17 it being normally arranged in apredetermined starting position and hence, movable different distancesby the motor from its starting position into engagement with the variouscontacts 19. This trip is here shown as an arm mounted upon a hub 34actuated by the'motoras will be hereinafter described, the hub beingmounted upon a shaft 35 having cone bearings at one end, the bearingbeing in the end of a screw 36 adj ustably mounted on a hub 37 at thecenter of the conductor 17. This hub is shown as carried by a pair ofdiametrically having normally separated "sections and means tending toseparate them, the engagebers 21.

mentiof the sections beingcontrolled the operation of any one of theswitch mem- In theillustrated embodiment of my invention, the motiontransmitting means comprises a worm 40 on the motor shaft 5 meshing witha worm gear 41 on a transverse shaft 42, see Figure 5, supported bythebracket 7 the shaft 42 having a worm 43 thereon meshing with theWQII11 ear 44 on the shaft 35 on which the hub 34 0 the tripismountedsAs I a clutch is employed, this hub 34 is loosely mounted on the shaft35.

45 designates one section of the clutch which is rotatable with thehub34, Figure 1, the other sectionof the clutch carried by an arm 47 on ahub 48 keyed to the shaft 35, this section 46 being in the form ofalever having a tooth 49 movablefinto' and out of iengag'r .ment withtheteeth 50 on-the clutch section.

The movement of this clutch section or lever 46, as before stated, iscontrolled by the movement of any one of the push 'buttons24 or rods 21.In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, thismovement of theclutch.

section 46 is effected byan electromagnetconnected in the feed circuitby the closing of the controlling switch, that is, by the bringing ofanyone of the terminals 26 into engage- I ment with the teeth 50 oftheclutch section 45.

Themagnet 51 is stationary and'carried by brackets 7 concentric with theshaft 35 on which the hub 48 ofthe arm 47 is mounted,

which carries the clutch section or lever 46.

coil 51 of' the electromagnet through wires When the circuit is closedthrough the motor and the magnet by operating any one of the pushbuttons 24, the clutch section or lever 46 will be attracted by themagnet and moved into clutching engagement with the locked clutchsection 45, and the shaft 35 will be actuated by the motor, and themotion transmitted through the lever 46 and clutchsection 45 to the hubarm 33. The armature arm 53 moves planetarily around the periphery ofthe stationary magnet while the clutch section or lever 46 is engagedwith the section 45. The 'electromagnet clutch forms the subject matterof another application Sr. No. 27 4,7 44

filed May 3, 1928.

Afterthe inch is tripped, the spring27 opens the switch so that themotor and the electromagnet 51 are ,de-energized and hence,

the arm 46 released from the teeth 50 of the clutch section45 so thatthetrip swingsunder the influence of its weight 39 to its normal or 2starting, position. The movement of the I lever 46 by the electromagnetis against the action of a returning spring 54, Figure 8. o

Preferably an intermittent" or flashing switch is arranged in the signalcircuit. '55

designates the flashing switch, that here shown beinga mercury switch.This intermittent switch may be ofany type and comthe action of thesemercury switches is well known, further description is thought to beunnecessary.

' The rock arm 56 is actuated by 'motion transmitting means connected tothe motor,

this motion transmitting means including .a

cam 60 coacting with a follower 61 on the lever56, this cam beingmounted upon the shaft 42 so that during the actuation'ofthe 'motor, themercury switch is oscillated caus.

ing the signals to be flashed.

Suitable binding devices 62, 63,64 and 65 are mounted on the baseoutside the casing 2 i for connection in the feed and signal circuits.

In operation, when one of the buttons 24"is.

depressed, the corresponding contact 26 and latch 30 are moved intoengagement with one of the contacts 19 whereupon the current passes frombinding device 62, wire 66 to con ductor 20 thence through the rod 21 ofthe push button 24, latch 30 and terminal 26 to the companion contact 19thence through wires 67 and 68 through the coils 11 and 12 of the motorto actuate the motor and from "these coils through wire 69 to thebinding device 63.

For the purpose of illustration, the binding devices 62 and 63 may beconsidered as 'plus and minus and the binding devices 64 and 65 as plus.The current also passes from the wire 67 through branch wire 70 to the 7and wire 72 to the wire 69; and negative binding post 63. The currentalso passes through the mercury switch to wire 7 4 thence to wire 7 5 tobinding post 65 to the signal circuit connected tothe binding post 63,64, 65. Also connected in circuit with the wires 69 and 75 is a. lamp 76 located in the face plate 23 at the center of a series of push buttons24, this lamp 76 operatingunder the same conditions as the lamps in thesignal circuit. The wire in the signal or load circuit connected to thebinding devices 64, 65 and 63 usually operate relays which control thelamps in the signal circuit but whether they operate relays or controlthe current di 'rectly to such lamps is immaterial to this invention.

The operator at the central station knows other emergency vehicle .to gofrom its station to a call box or other known locality and presses anyone of the buttons 24 dependingupon the amount of time it will take fromthe wire 67 through branch wire 73 the timerit will take the fireapparatus or,

for the apparatus to make the trip. The pressing of any one of thesebuttons 24 causes the terminal 26 and latch to coact with thecorresponding contact 19 thus closing the circuit through the motorcoils 11 and 12 and electromagnet coils 51 which operate the clutch, andthrough the mercury switch so that the light 76 is illuminated andflashed as well as the lights in the signal circuit. This operationcontinues automatically until the trip 33 releases the latch 30 which isin operated position, thus opening the coiltrolling switch or thecircuit between the conductor 17 and conductor 20 so that'the motorstops and the trip is declutched from the motor and returns to itsstarting position for the next operation. This opening of thecontrolling switch takes place at a predetermined time dependent upon'whichof the push buttons 24: is depressed.

.Vhat I claim is:

1. In an automatic emergency selective switch, a suitable frame, a loadcircuit conductor carried by the frame and having aseries of contactsspaced apart, normally open switch means operable to selectively engagethe contacts, means tending to actuate the switch means to open thesame, locking means for holding the switch means engaged with theselective contact, a trip movable along the series of contacts to tripthe locking means, electric motor in circuit with the switch means,motion transmitting means between the motor and the trip to actuate thetrip along the series of contacts, when the switch means is in operatedposition, the trip comprising normally separated clutch sections andmeans tending to separate them, and

means controlled by the movable switch means to engage said clutchsections when the switch means is moved into engagement with one of thecontacts.

2. In an automatic emergency selective switch, a suitable frame, a loadcircuit conductor carried by the frame and having a series of contactsspaced apart, a plurality of switch members, one for each contact, andeach operable to engage its companion contact, means tending to actuatethe switch members to separate them from the contact, locking means forholding each switch member engaged with its contact, a trip common toall the locking means and movable along the series of contacts to tripthe locking means, an electric motor in circuit with all the switchmembers, motion transmitting means between the motor and the trip toactuate the trip along the series of contacts when one of the switchmembers is in operated position, the trip having means for returning itto starting position, said motion transmitting means comprising normallyspaced clutch sections and means tending to separate them and meanscontrolled by the movable switch members to engage said clutch sectionswhen any one of the switch members is moved into engagement with itscompanion contact.

3. In an automatic emergency selective switch, a suitable frame, anannular load circuitconductor carried by the frame and having a seriesof contacts spaced apart, normally open switch means operable toselectively engage the contacts, means tending to actuate the switchmeans to open the same, locking means for holding the switch meansengaged with the selected contact, a trip normally arranged in apredeterminedstarting position and movable about an axis concentric withthe annular conductor over the series of contacts to trip the lockingmeans and release switch means to engage the clutch sections.

4. In an automatic selective switch, a suitable frame, an annular loadcircuit conductor mounted on the frame, and having a series of spacedapart contacts, a second annular conductor spaced apart from the formercon ductor substantially concentric therewith, a plurality of movableswitch members in electrical contact with the second annular conductorand paired respectively with the contacts, each switch member havingmeans for engaging one of the contacts, locking means for holding eachswitch member engaged with its companion contact, means tending toactuate each switch member to its open position, a trip normallyarranged concentric with said conductors, and in a predeterminedstarting position and movable-to trip the locking means of the switchmember in engagement with its contact, a motor connected in circuit withthe second conductor whereby the closing of any one of the switchmembers closes the circuit to the motor, motion transmitting meansbetween the motor and the trip to move itabout its axis from start-- ingposition into engagement with the locking means in locked position, saidmotion transmittingmeans comprising normally spaced apart clutchsections and means tending to separatethem and means controlled by eachof the switch members to engage the clutch sections.

In an automatic emergency selective switch, a suitable frame, a loadcircuit conductor carried by the frame and having a series of contactsspaced apart, normally open switch means operable to selectively engagethe contacts, means tending to actuate the switch means to open thesame, locking means for holding the switch means engaged with theselected contact, a trip movable along the series of contacts to tripthe locking means, an electric motor in circuit with the switch means,motion transmitting means between the motor and the. trip to actuate thetrip along the series of contacts, when the switch means is in operatedposition, the trip comprising normally separated clutch sections, andmeans controlled by the movable switch means to engage .saidclutchsections when the switch means is moved into engagement with one of thecontacts, the last mentioned means comprising an electro-magnetcontrolled by the switch means. I

c 6. In an automatic emergency selective switch, a suitable frame, aconductor having a plurality of contacts spaced apart, movable operatingmeans operable to selectively engage the contacts, means tending toactuate the switch 'means to open the same, a trip operable to trip thelocking means, the trip being normally arranged in a predeterminedstarting position and having means for returning it to startingposition, an electric motor, motion transmitting means between themotor, andthe trip to actuate the trip along the series of contacts whenthe trip is. in op- I erated position, the trip comprising normallyseparated clutch sections and means tending to separate them, and meanscontrolled'by the switch means to engage said clutch sections when theswitch means is moved into engagement with any one of said contacts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 8th day of June,1928. 1 c

" CARL H. BISSELL.

